Beaumarchais and the War of American Independence, Vol. 2 — A Reader’s Guide

The D'Eon Affair as a Prelude

The first chapter details Beaumarchais's mission to recover a chest of state papers from the Chevalier d'Eon, a transvestite spy living in London. Kite reproduces the text of a memoir Beaumarchais submitted to the king, outlining his plan to secure the documents. The episode illustrates the secretive methods of French foreign policy under Louis XV, where personal agents operated outside official channels. Beaumarchais's success in this affair likely recommended him for later American work. The d'Eon story also introduces a theme of disguise and deception that recurs throughout the volume: Beaumarchais himself would later adopt the pseudonym Roderigue Hortalès to conceal French aid to the rebels.

Beaumarchais's Memoirs to the King

Kite presents several memoirs Beaumarchais wrote to Louis XVI, arguing for support of the American colonists. In one, he warns that England's defeat would weaken a rival, while a strong America would benefit French commerce. The king's replies, traced in his own handwriting, show hesitation. Beaumarchais's rhetoric blends patriotism with self-interest: he offers to establish a commercial house that would supply arms while masking French involvement. These documents reveal how Beaumarchais positioned himself as a indispensable intermediary, leveraging his access to the court and his experience in covert affairs.

The Contract with Congress

A central document is the contract of April 6, 1778, between Roderigue Hortalès et Cie. and the American Committee of Commerce. Kite reproduces its terms: Beaumarchais agrees to ship cannon, arms, and clothing, with payment to be made in France. The contract names John Baptist Lazarus Theveneau de Francy as Beaumarchais's agent. This legal instrument grounds the narrative in concrete financial arrangements. Kite also includes a letter from De Francy describing how he rescued Lafayette from a currency mistake, showing the practical difficulties of transatlantic commerce during wartime.

Letters from the Field

The later excerpts include correspondence from De Francy in America, reporting on the depreciation of paper money and the chaos it caused. He notes that Lafayette had signed bills without reading them, mistaking Pennsylvania currency for sterling. De Francy advanced him funds at 6 percent interest, the same rate Congress allowed Beaumarchais. These letters humanize the logistical challenges: ships delayed, tobacco loaded for return cargo, and agents struggling to maintain credit. Kite's method is to let the documents speak, but her selection emphasizes the gap between Beaumarchais's grand plans and the messy reality of supply chains.

Readers approaching this volume should treat it as a sourcebook as much as a narrative. Kite's editorial voice is restrained, allowing the documents to carry the argument. The index includes cross-references to Volume I, and the text assumes familiarity with the earlier volume's account of Beaumarchais's rehabilitation. For those interested in the mechanics of foreign intervention, the contracts and letters offer a granular view of how one man's ambition intersected with a revolution.

Reading about Beaumarchais’s secret ledger, I remembered my father’s quiet pride in his own workshop accounts—small sums, but earnest. That same ache of hidden purpose surfaced in Lectures on the French Revolution — A Closer Reading, where public speeches mask private fears. Both books feel like listening to someone breathe behind a curtain. The paper smells old, and I sit still.